U.S. Census Frequently Asked Questions

The U.S. Census is critical to federal education programs as it is the main resource for the information used to determine funding for many federal programs. By participating in the census community members are able to ensure that their school receives the money to which it is entitled.

What is the Census?

The census is an anonymous process that gathers information to:

Assist with funding for school districts

Provide information that supports unemployment and Medicare

Help distribute federal and state funds

Learn how society is changing and growing

How is the information used?

The data that is gathered is used to:

Draw voting district boundaries

Determine the numbers of congressional representatives

Help distribute federal and state funds

Develop public and private programs, policies and services

Learn how society is changing and growing

When?

There are several collections that occur throughout each year. However, the next large collection of information is in 2010.

Who?

Everyone should participate in the census. All of the personal information you shared during the census is confidential. The census is not a way for the government to determine a person’s legal status.